Chapter 13: How Can You Ever Know What’s in Someone’s Heart?
“Let’s go grab something to eat.”
Chief Choi patted Seongjin on the shoulder as he slipped on the jacket he’d carelessly draped over his chair.
“Go ahead without me. I’m expecting someone.”
Seongjin closed the book he’d been reading and stretched, looking somewhat tired.
“Who? And since when did you start reading books? Doesn’t seem like you.”
For someone like Seongjin, who had won a gold medal in judo while representing his country, books seemed about as out of place as a martial artist wearing a chef’s uniform.
“It’s a book written by the person I’m meeting later. I wanted to look through it one more time before he arrived.”
“Who on earth is coming that you have to study his book beforehand?”
Judging by how much effort Seongjin was putting into this, the visitor must be someone rather special.
“Chief, you’ve heard of the author Kim Seungbeom, haven’t you?”
Seongjin held up the book he’d been reading so Chief Choi could see the cover.
“Kim Seungbeom? Sounds familiar. Is he famous or something?”
Chief Choi studied Seungbeom’s face on the cover, looking thoroughly puzzled.
“You really don’t know him? He’s been appearing on TV quite often lately, giving lectures and all. His books are incredibly popular, too.”
“Can’t say I know him. Anyway, why is he coming here?”
Chief Choi was so buried in police investigations that he paid little attention to what was happening in the outside world.
“Well, someone filed a complaint against him with our department, accusing him of insurance fraud. He’s supposed to come in for questioning today.”
“Insurance fraud? I thought you said he was famous.”
Chief Choi raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
“Some organization called the Justice Realization Insurance Solidarity or something like that filed the complaint. They suspect him of insurance fraud. I think this is already the third time they’ve reported him.”
“Really? And?”
The more he heard, the more curious Chief Choi became.
“Well, a formal complaint has been filed, so we have to investigate. But he’s not the kind of person who’d do something like that. He does so much good for others. Just recently, he donated a hundred million won to help underprivileged families, and he’s constantly involved in volunteer work. Besides, just look at his face. Does he look like someone who’d commit insurance fraud?”
Seongjin held up the book cover again, pointing to Seungbeom’s bright, smiling face as he shook his head in disbelief.
“And these days, people seem to file complaints against anyone they don’t like. It’s probably just an attempt to tarnish his reputation.”
Since Seungbeom had already been cleared of previous allegations, Seongjin assumed that the repeated complaints against him were nothing more than an attempt to drag down someone who had become too successful.
“You know, there’s no telling what kind of person someone really is until you peel back the layers.”
Chief Choi shook his head as though Seongjin were the one who didn’t understand how the world worked.
“Your biggest flaw, Chief, out of all the flaws I’ve noticed, is that you simply don’t trust people enough.”
“Oh, listen to this brat. I’ve been going easy on you, and now you’re practically begging for a beating. Damn it. I should never have told you to apply for that special recruitment position in the police force.”
In response to Seongjin’s mischievous teasing, Chief Choi gave him a firm smack on the back with his enormous, pot-lid-sized hand. Suppressing the smile threatening to spread across his face, he headed toward the door.
“Funny. I remember you drinking with me back then, saying how glad you were that I’d joined you and that we should stick together until the very end.”
“When the hell did I ever say that, you punk?”
Embarrassed, Chief Choi raised his voice for no particular reason.
“Come on, you’re happy I came here, aren’t you? Who else puts up with you as well as I do?”
Ever since Seongjin had been assigned to the Major Crimes Investigation Unit, the atmosphere in the once dreary office had gradually brightened. Even Chief Choi, whose face had always seemed permanently stern, appeared a little more cheerful. With his friendly, younger-brother-like personality and his enthusiasm for everything, Seongjin had certainly made an impression.
“Good grief, what a nuisance. If only that brat knew when to keep his mouth shut.”
Unable to help himself, Chief Choi burst into a hearty laugh at Seongjin’s shameless antics.
“Anyway, enjoy your meal!”
“Yeah, you keep up the good work. Now, who are you here to see?”
Chief Choi opened the office door, responding to Seongjin’s loud farewell. But the moment he spotted a man standing outside, he stopped in surprise.
“I’m here to see Detective Kim Seongjin.”
The impeccably dressed man standing before him wore a faint smile.
He was the very same man whose face had appeared on the cover of the book Seongjin had been reading just moments ago.
“Thank you for coming despite everything you’ve had going on lately. I’m sorry to trouble you, but this was something I couldn’t put off any longer. Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine.”
A gentle face with monolid eyes. A pristine white shirt buttoned all the way to the neck. A perfectly tailored suit that followed the contours of his body without a single wrinkle.
Seongjin’s first impression of Kim Seungbeom was that the man was immaculate in every sense of the word.
“Today’s questioning is only to confirm a few details regarding the complaint, so we should be finished fairly quickly.”
Seongjin’s fingers moved swiftly across his laptop keyboard.
“I’d appreciate your cooperation. My fiancée is undergoing surgery today, so I was hoping we could finish a little early.”
With bandages scattered across various parts of his face, Seungbeom let out a deep sigh. The mention of his fiancée seemed to stir up his emotions.
“If you cooperate with us, we should be able to wrap things up quickly. So please don’t worry too much.”
Seongjin couldn’t help feeling a pang of sympathy for him.
“Thank you. Then let’s get started.”
Seungbeom adjusted his posture and spoke in a calm, composed voice.
Contrary to Seongjin’s expectations, the questioning dragged on much longer than anticipated.
“Are you getting tired?”
Seongjin took his hands off the keyboard and rotated his stiff wrists.
“I’m fine.”
Despite the lengthy interrogation, Seungbeom hadn’t shown the slightest sign of discomfort or agitation.
“Then, to wrap things up, I’d like to ask you a few questions about the traffic accident that happened a few days ago.”
“Doesn’t that have anything to do with this investigation?”
For the first time during the questioning, Seungbeom’s otherwise expressionless face showed a slight frown.
“It’s just a routine check. There’s no need to feel pressured. I’d appreciate it if you could simply tell me what happened as accurately as you remember.”
“All right. Where should I begin?”
Clearly displeased, Seungbeom pursed his lips before answering.
“Where were you going when the accident happened?”
Seongjin straightened in his chair and placed his hands back on the laptop keyboard.
“My fiancée and I had gone to visit my parents’ columbarium in Dongducheon early that morning. It was the anniversary of their deaths.”
“So it was a route you were familiar with, then?”
“Yes.”
“Were the two of you traveling alone?”
“Yes. I’m an only child.”
“Did you have anything important to take care of that day? Were you in a hurry for some reason?”
“What? Why are you suddenly asking me that?”
Seungbeom looked at him as though he couldn’t understand the question.
“I was just wondering whether you might have been speeding.”
“There was nothing on our schedule apart from visiting the columbarium. And I’ve never received a single traffic ticket in my life.”
Seungbeom’s reply was curt, his expression turning noticeably displeased.
“I’m sorry if that came across the wrong way. I have to consider every possibility as part of my investigation.”
Seongjin was slightly taken aback by the sharpness in Seungbeom’s voice. It was quite different from the image he’d formed of the author.
“And if you want to know whether I was speeding or not, why don’t you simply check the CCTV footage from that road?”
Seungbeom’s displeasure clearly hadn’t subsided. His gaze remained cold and piercing.
“I already checked. Unfortunately, there aren’t any CCTV cameras along that road. That’s why I asked. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Really? I’ve driven that route so many times, but I never realized there weren’t any cameras. And I apologize for my reaction just now. My fiancée is having surgery today, so I’m a little more sensitive than usual. I’m sorry.”
Seungbeom lowered his head slightly, his voice once again returning to its earlier calmness.
“It’s all right. I completely understand. Then…”
“I’m sorry, but it’s almost time for my fiancée’s surgery to be over. Would it be possible to stop here for today? The previous investigation has already been concluded, so I assume you could refer to those records instead.”
Seungbeom glanced anxiously at the clock hanging on the wall.
“Of course. Then just tell me what happened at the time of the accident, and we’ll wrap things up.”
Seeing how restless Seungbeom had become, Seongjin began typing even faster.
“We were on our way from Dongducheon, where the columbarium is, back to Seoul. Then, somewhere along the national highway near Yangju, something suddenly darted out in front of the car. I had no choice but to swerve the steering wheel, but…”
Seungbeom’s voice faltered.
“It’s all my fault. Everything is my fault.”
Unable to bear recalling what had happened that day, he lowered his head and began sobbing bitterly.
“It was an unavoidable accident. Please don’t blame yourself too much.”
Seeing Seungbeom break down, Seongjin looked at him sympathetically and offered him a tissue from the desk.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I just couldn’t control my emotions.”
Seungbeom wiped away his tears and struggled to regain his composure.
“I understand. You must be going through an incredibly difficult time right now.”
The fear and despair of potentially losing the person you loved most. Seongjin couldn’t even begin to imagine how unbearable such feelings must be.
“But what exactly was the object that suddenly appeared in front of your car?”
Still, he couldn’t abandon his duties as a detective.
“Haah… It looked like some kind of wild animal. I swerved to avoid hitting it, but unfortunately, there was a utility pole right there…”
Seungbeom struggled to steady his breathing and tried to continue. But the grief welled up inside him once more, leaving him unable to speak.
“I don’t think you can continue right now. I’ll contact you again later. For today, you should go straight to the hospital.”
Seongjin stood up and escorted Seungbeom to the door.
“I’m sorry. And thank you for being so considerate.”
Seungbeom wiped away his tears and bowed his head in gratitude. Even in the midst of his grief, his natural manners remained intact.
“Don’t mention it. I’m sure the surgery will go well, so try not to worry too much.”
“Thank you. Then I’ll be going.”
The entrance to the police station was packed with reporters hoping to catch a glimpse of Seungbeom.
“Oh! There he is!”
The moment Seungbeom emerged from the station, looking utterly exhausted, cameras and microphones swarmed around him.
A devoted lover struck by tragedy, mourning the woman he loved. A nationally acclaimed bestselling author now suspected of insurance fraud.
Seungbeom had everything the public could possibly find fascinating. There was no way the media would leave him alone.
“Do you believe you’ll be cleared of all charges in today’s complaint as well?”
“Several unfortunate incidents have happened to you recently, Mr. Kim. How are you coping with everything?”
“Was the recent traffic accident also connected to today’s investigation?”
“Would you like to say a few words to your fans?”
But Seungbeom ignored every question thrown at him. Without uttering a single word, he hurried toward the parking lot.
Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
Just then, his phone began vibrating inside his jacket pocket.
Seungbeom stopped in his tracks, his expression turning anxious.
An unfamiliar number was displayed on the screen.
A sudden sense of dread washed over him.
“H-Hello?”
His voice trembled slightly as he answered.
The reporters surrounding him immediately fell silent, all eyes fixed on his reaction.
An odd silence descended over the scene.
Seungbeom said nothing for a long while, listening intently to the voice coming from the other end. Gradually, his hand began to tremble.
Then, as though his legs could no longer support him, he collapsed to his knees.
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
The reporters were momentarily stunned by his sudden reaction, but they quickly raised their cameras and began taking pictures of him from every possible angle.
“Seunghee!”
A heart-wrenching cry escaped Seungbeom’s lips.
At a columbarium on the outskirts of Seoul.
Seungbeom emerged from the building dressed in a neat black suit, his steps heavy and slow.
His face had grown noticeably gaunt over the past few days, as though the weight of grief and loss had become too much for him to bear. His appearance alone spoke volumes about the pain he was enduring.
“I’m sorry, Mother. I’m so terribly sorry. It’s all my fault. If only I’d driven more carefully that day… I should have been the one to die instead of Seunghee…”
When he saw Seunghee’s mother sitting on a bench outside, unable to bring herself to enter the columbarium and face the death of her daughter, Seungbeom fell to his knees before her.
He began sobbing like a condemned man begging for forgiveness.
“Seungbeom… Seungbeom. What are we going to do about our poor Seunghee? What are we going to do without our poor girl?”
Seunghee’s mother wrapped her arms around the kneeling man and burst into tears.
“Mother…”
The two of them remained there for a long time, pouring out their grief over the loss of someone they both loved dearly.
Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
Then, cutting through their sorrowful sobs, Seungbeom’s phone began ringing.
“Mother, it’s cold out here. Please go wait in the car. I’ll be right behind you. Hello?”
Having barely managed to compose himself, Seungbeom sent Seunghee’s mother ahead to the car before answering the call.
[“Mr. Kim Seungbeom? This is Detective Kim Seongjin. We met at the police station the other day.”]
“What is it? Why are you calling me all of a sudden?”
Seungbeom’s expression changed instantly at the unexpected call from Seongjin.
[“I heard the news. I honestly don’t know what to say. I can’t imagine how difficult things must be for you right now. I’m sorry for calling when you must already have so much on your mind.”]
Seongjin’s apologetic voice came through the phone.
“Thank you. But what is this about?”
[“Well, since your fiancée passed away in the unfortunate traffic accident, there are a few additional matters we need to investigate.”]
“An additional investigation? Why on earth would I need to be questioned again?”
Seungbeom’s voice rose slightly at the unexpected announcement.
[“I understand this must come as a shock, but since your fiancée died in a traffic accident, the charge of involuntary manslaughter currently applies to you. That’s why we’ll need to question you further. There are also a few other things I’d like to ask you separately.”]
“Involuntary manslaughter? Are you saying I killed Seunghee? Is that what you’re accusing me of?”
Seungbeom exploded in anger.
[“That’s not what I’m saying. It’s simply how the law works in these situations. This is just a routine investigation, so we’d appreciate it if you could spare us a little time. Also, if you currently have any insurance policies, please bring your insurance certificates and contracts with you.”]
“Why do you need those?”
[“We just need to check a few details related to the previous investigation. There’s no need to worry too much about it.”]
Seongjin tried to calm Seungbeom, who was already on edge.
“All right. What time should I come in?”
[“Could you come to the police station around two tomorrow afternoon? Would that work for you?”]
“Yes. Understood.”
After ending the call, Seungbeom ran a hand through his hair and muttered under his breath.
“Fuck.”
